What Happened To Freddie?

[cuticom]

Freddies a full grown bristelnose, about 4-6" long, a few days ago I saw a white sore on his shoulder, so treated the whole tank with a broad spectrum antibiotic. I've been checking him morning and night and it stayed pretty much the same, but a white spot developed on his tail too. Now both look like all the skins been stripped away. None of the other fish seem effected at all. The sore looks almost like their are little red thraeds waving over it. Can anyone shed some light?

Emma

 

[cuticom]

Could tis jsut be an ulcer? he got himself stuck behind a betta barracks a week or so go, could the graze have just got infected and caused this? It's the best explanation I can find on the net. So the broad spectrum antibiotic I put in the tank should fix it?

 

[black angel]

looks like ulcer disease so a broad range med should help. do more gravel vac water changes to help keep the bad bacteria in the tank down low.

 

[cuticom]

Well today it looks more brown and less obvious so I think its healing. I know Freddies feeling better though, he's been moping behind the filter for the last few days but today has been out and about and is cleaning the front bit of glasss now.

 

[WILDER]

That's nasty.
Carry on treating.
Good luck.

 

[cuticom]

Sigh so much for hoping it'd get better, theres another small white patch forming on his back and the large sore is now concave and sorta pinkish with rought white bits over it. Freddie has been out and about though, which is what confuses me, as any difference in the tank makes him hide and sulk for days behind the filter (ie I take away one of the caves or move a plant), he's also eaten, and been cleaning off an algae patch. I seriously don't get it, I've checked all the other fish and none of them look ill at all, or have any white spots.

Oh one other thing Freddies blind, its from ammonia burn about 4 years ago before we got him (he was in a fishbowl with three goldfish), could the ammonia burn have weakened his skin or something?

Emma

 

[WILDER]

He has a bad strain of a bacterial infection.
Can you issolate him.
Fungus can grow on dead tissue.

http/www.fbas.co.uk/Ulcers.html

 

[cuticom]

I cant isolate him, the tank we use for isolating fish is too small for him, he wouldnt be able to turn around.

We have Melafix, should i try putting that in? I havnt used it yet as when Mums goldfish were ill, we put it in and it killed one of her loaches and her goldies almost died too. Hmm I'll probably stick with the antibacterial stuff, its mean to treat most infections and funguses. Maybe I could up the dosage? I was using it at the dose reccomended for a normal infection, but the bottle said to double the dose for cases of severe infection.

Emma

 

[WILDER]

Leave the melafix won't do much.
Whats the name of the bacterial med.

 

[cuticom]

Triple Sulfa Broad spectrum medication. Used to treat, whitespot, mouth and body fungus, fin and tail rot and other bacterial diseases

Emma

 

[WILDER]

If his breathing ok and there plenty of aeration up the dose, but make sure it won't wipe your bacteria colony out in the filter.

 

[cuticom]

Umm I cant really tell if his breathing is okay, not sure waht I'd be looking for.

The tank dosnt have any airstones or anything it in, is that what you mean by aeration?

 

[WILDER]

Unless you cannot turn aeration up in the tank I wouldn't go in with a bigger dose until you can buy an airpump with a airstone attached.
His gills will be moving faster like he's laboured breathing.

 

[cuticom]

We cant fit extra aeration onto the tank, no plugs etc. I can put a venturi thingy on the filter? would that do anything?

Why would upping the dosage change the amount of air in the tank?

 

[WILDER]

Yes add the venturi.
Yes it will affect aeration as med take 02 out of the tank.
Good luck.